Method and means for localizing foreign bodies



p 1943. A. E, DE LQRIMIER ET AL 2,329,187

METHOD AND MEANS FOR LOCALIZING FOREIGN BODIES Filed June 19. 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 in N a a No '6 4+. '6 04 1 Q (a N w ua 3 W u 66 Q! m- VJ F3 L INVENTO RS Ajfred A de .Lor/m [er Lawrence F. Black +4 Ba 0. Day

" -AT.TORN.E'Y

p A. E. DE LORIMIER ETAL METHOD AND MEANS FOR LOCALIZING FOREIGN BODIES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1941 grwm Alfred A. ole Lorimier Gnqw g Lawrence F'B/ack v Rcgf CY.D

;Patented Sept. 1943 I I I I FOREIGN BODIES 1 I Alfred A 1): Lorimier, Washington, .1). Get-La rence F. Black,

' hppl t aetniuneiaieilgseria N '1" :i was; zf ea (Grantedu'nder the'act of Mareh3, 1883,"as x a enaea prn 30,1928; 3101 0. (1,757)

.The invention describedherein 'mayi be manu-I,

factured and usedby or for theGovernment for 11501 and royalty thereon.

This invention relates generally I to the locali I when of foreign objects-,1 but more particularly governmental purposes, without .the payment; to

it is directed to a method and means for deter-. I

mining by T Roentgen rays the location andj' d'stance beneath the surfaceof the skin, of foreign: objects invisibly imbedded Within the body of a:

patient. v a The device is especially useful for surgeons in:

locatingbullets ,or other hardi or comparatively] impermable bodies or growths'in organic substance, but it may also be employedfor a variety of other purposes where the object sought is surrounded by material which is permeable to Roentgen" rays. i

I One object ,of they inventionlis to providea simple and accurate method and an inexpensive and easily operated apparatus" for determining the'location of foreign bodiesbyIX-ray ex'ami:

nation, e

which a minimum of X-radiation and manipulation is'required I 1 c Another object'is' to provide .a device which Another object is to provide anf apparatusfori, determining the location of foreign bodies11in.

obviates the need of loose calipers and. measuring sticks in determining the location of foreign bodies.

Stillanother of breakage or loss of any of the parts.

I Another object of the invention'is ptoprovide a device for localizing ioreignbodi'esin "which,

the depth of said bodies is. measured beneath the skin of the patient, rather than beneath the,

fluoroscopic screen, and one in which a direct.

reading of such measurement may. b eobtairied.

Referring more particularly to the accompanygi ing drawings in which corresponding parts are indicated by similar reference characters; I Fig; 1 is'a perspective view showing an assembly of the apparatus; I I Fig. 2 is a top 'plan view ofthe measuring device;

Fig. 3 is 'a perspe'ctive view of a modified form? of measuring device;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the measuringfdial" shownin Fig. 3;

object of the inventionis to provide an instrument of the j class described which incorporates gecmetricprinciples to which siinI- ple scale constructioncould be adapted in case] Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing relative positions of the x-ray: tube, the screen,

n the rbrei'gnjbcdylwnen afshadow easier,

. eignbody is 'cast'jbn thecentral marker of the 3.

screen Fig. 6 is. a diagrammatic. jviewfshowingf the I relativepositions of the X- ra'ytube; the screen,

andfthe {foreign 'body when a .s'liadowfof; the

I foreign' body is .caston the riglrithandimarken of the screen; 3

servegthe roentgenologist in the examination of;

atients; comprises a support 10 formed with rectangular or othersuitable end members. and l I to I which; are attached longitudinally extending? tracks .[2 .and l 2' and a, longitudinal brace I3.' T j I I 'f .The tracks arefadapted to extend on ,either'j side of andbelow a; litter or other suitable support. 1| 4 n which the patient'is reclined; as shown diagrammatically in'Figs. 6 and '2.

j'car'riagej'l 5 which s "mounted for longitu -f dinal movement along the tracks, I; nd 'lZ is formed with an outer rectang ular,- frame It I and an'innerirectang'ularf frame l 1 which'is mounted for lateralmflvelllelllifwith respect to the outer frame;

I I he outerframe isp'rovidedwith guide rollers- 18, l8 and?jl9; I9 which areadapted' to" engage the'trac k 12 and I2; Theinner frame which is adapted for lateral niovementf within the outer frame, is provided'with' guideroller's 2'0; Z I andZZL- B;which'erigagetheouteriframe' andfth'eouter frame is 'provided'with guide inner frame.

'Tjo"the la' terally moans-inter frame of 'th carriage is attached-across member 24 which functionsfas a bracket to'jsupport a vertically adjustable telescoping standard'25, formed with I a ilowertubular. guide member. 26 into which is I 1y: tubular member, of smaller; diameter 21, which may be set at any'desiredi he by. a screw e u p nmit PI I The screen 32 which is supported the upper which supports a shielded X-ray tube'fl and}; shutter housing 35.

The central standard 29 of the beafri rproje'ct ing unit is attached to the upper" telescoping member 21 by a bracket 36 provided with a. ro-

tating gear mechanism enclosed withina: lS-%v ing 31', which mechanism changes the position v of the beam projecting unit when the device used for purposes other than localizing foreign bodies.

arm to nfthebeam projecting unit is n'iarked along a longitudinal line BSWiEh'th-ree cross a central cross line 39 and two end cross lines 401 and l, equally spacedfrom the central cross lihe; .The central line is located directly above the target .42 of the X-ray tuhetfwhlch is supportedbeneath the carriage I5 by'the' lower arm 3],,as shownin Figs. 1 and 5.

marlger 41,, provided with a scale 45 ime a rm-4r s bve t ma k r m 1". attached to the screen-s2, as shown' in Fig.1. This device is us'ed' for; measuring 'the' distance from thescreen 32 to th kin of the p'atient, as shown inFigj 5. I

To the outer rectangular. frame it oi the car riagej 5 is "attached .a longitudinally extending adj ustably mounted scale 88 the graduatlons of which extend from zero markingsat either: end to lthe center as shown in Figsj'jl and 2. For in dicating, the extent of movementpr the carriage [5' on the scale'WS", a pointer 43 is provided which is; attached tov .a, sleeve member 5ll' slideably mounted on. the track l2", the sleeve member being provided with athumb screw '5! for" look? ing the. same any desired positionalong the:

trackllf. l

Amodi'fied form of measuring device adapted to indicate the longitudinal'moveme'nt of the. carriage, is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. typeoLmeasuring device includes a sleeve member 52 which slideably mounted on the track l2" and which may be locked in any position. along. the track by the screw 53. Either attached to the sleeve member'or formed integral.

therewithisa. foot=step bearingfiylfl an a Sleeve.

bearing 55 which"are. connected to'a, yoke 561 projecting at right angles to the central The upper arm supports a screen 32 and to the lower arm is attached awoke/33 and dampened with a coloring fluid, or formed of "a marking substance, is thenlowered until it touches the skin of the patient and'the scale 45 read .to. determine the distance tohbe compensated for on the, scale 48. of the carriage so that a direct reading maybe made in determining the depth of object beneath the skin of the patient.

The carriage unit, which includes screen 32, tubeikandscale which are rigidly attached is then moved to the left until the shadow of the foreign object is projected on the :r ds s lines'fat'll as indicated in Fig. 6, and the pointer? movedalong the scale 48 to the graduation'indicatingthe distance between the screen P andl; this distance from the screen to the skin These bearing member-s snpport,a shait. .5]; to;

which is rigidly attached a pinion 58" adapted to:

engagesaqrack fi attached toftherearriage. 5.

To-the upper surfacelof the sleeve. bearingf55 is attached a. dial 60 and. tothe upper. end of; shaft. 51a pointer -6 L. H v I j. q The pinion Wis-meshed. with the rack 59 at-f tached to,-the= carriage in the. sameemanner-as the; scale 48 in Fig. 1:,"so that inovement of. the.v carriage will be. indicated on the dial- T i I In theoperation. of. the device the. patientii's placed. preferably ina reclining. position on the litter. another suitable support l4 between'the. tracks l'l and [Z",.and the carriage" l5l andjbeanij pnoiecting unit/28' adjlijs'ted .until' the shadow 01f, the foreign objectjimbedded within the bedy' of'the patient f'a'l'ls upon the central cross-mark 3f9on the screenfifz. The marker tip" or the" skinmark'er which may be formed as a- Brush otthe patient is-indicated at thegraduation on scale. three units from the zero marking. The

be beneath the siiri'ace "9f the skin of the patient.

If the apparatus is equipped with the modified f'ormi of in'e asuring' device' shdwn in Figs. Band 4, the operation there-oi is performed in the same manner. The scaleis' compensated for distance or screen to patient b'y'moving it along the track, and theniocking itina position from which the longitudinal measurement of the movement of the carriage is to be taken .bytightening the thumbscrew' 5 3. In the movement of the'carri'age the rack 591' meshing with the pinion 58', rotates the pointer B'lover the. graduated dial 60 to'indi'cate the longitudinal distance that the carriage is moved between the pcints where the targetlof the tube casts shadows oncross lines (landfill... I,

In ord'er'to morefull'y understand, the operation of the device, reference will" be had to Fig. 8.. Considering theoperation of the deviceas described bove. itl'will'be noted" that the point of origin of the 'X-rays is first placed directly beneath the foreign: body so that the shadow of the; foreign 'bodyis projected on the center cr,oss lines 39"..0f the screen 32. 11 m projection is shown inFig. 5 bythestraight line 42-39 from the sourceof X'Qrays at 42 through. the foreign the foreign body fis. t'e the; screen the farther itis necessary to move the carriage in. order to project its shadow upon the cros's lines- (I (J in Fig. 8)., and that the distance that it is necessary tomove the carriage is indirectly proportioned to the distance of' the foreign bod from the screen. 7 I j I I While? the carriage is still in its left-hand position with the shadow of the object pro'jected 'on cross-lines H as shown in Fig. 8, "the pointer 49 and stopped at the graduation, adjacent the right-hand end, designating the distance of the relation and operable as a unit, and a scale skin of the patient below the screen as found on,

the scale 45 of the skin marker as shown in Fig. 5;

and described above. By so placing the pointer along the scale, the depth will be subtracted from measurement found on scale 48, as will be further described. The pointer'is retained at this'setting. by tighteningthe thumb screw 5!.

It will be notedras described above, that the scale 48 is graduated, from a zero point at each end, with numerals which increase toward the center, since the movement of the carriage isinversely proportional to the depth (b) (Fig. 8) of the foreign body'from the screen.

After setting the pointer 49 as stated, the carriage is now moved to the right until'the shadow of the foreign body is projected upon the crosslines 40. The scale, which has moved with the carriage, is now read at the pointer setting and the distance indicated thereon is the direct measurement of the depth of the foreign body beneath the surface of the skin, or the distance (D) as shownin Fig. 8, minus the distance measured on the skin marker scale 45.

Whereas in the foregoing certain elements have I been described as best adapted to perform the functions allotted to them, nevertheless it is to be understood that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having described our invention, whatwe claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. -An apparatus for determining the location of foreign bodies by means of X-rays, comprising a track, means supporting said track, a movable carriage mounted upon said track, means in conwhich consists in casting a shadow of said object nection with said carriage adapted to support 2. screen, provided with a central and equally spaced lineally arranged marker points above said track, and an X-ray tube with its target directly beneath said central markervpoint, the screen, the carriage and the tube being arranged in superimposed and fixed relation and operable as a unit, ascale connected to said carriage and a pointer slideably mounted on one of said tracks and cooperating withsaid scale to measure the movement of said carriage.

2. An apparatus for determining the .location of foreign bodies by means of X-rays comprising a track, means supporting said track, a movable carriage mounted upon said track, means laterally movable on said carriage adapted to support a screen, having a centraland equally spaced lineally arranged marker points-above said track, and an X-ray tube with its target directly beneath said central marker point, the screen, the carriage and the tube being, arranged in superimposed andfixed relation and operable as a' unit, a scale connected to said carriage andv a pointer slideably mounted on one of said tracks and cooperating with said'scale to measure the movement of said carriage. n i

3. An apparatus for determining the location of foreign objects imbedded within the body of a patient, comprising a body supporting base, a

adapted to measure the longitudinal movement between points of alignment between the target,

the foreign object, and the longitudinally spaced marker points on said screen to determine the j distance, between the screen and said foreign object.

4. An apparatus for determining the location of foreign objects imbedded within the body of vl0 a patient, comprising a body supporting base, a

carriage longitudinally movable with respect to said base, '"a frame laterally movable on said carriage, means for supporting a screen provided with a central and longitudinally spaced marker points, above said body, and an X-ray tube below said body with the target of said tube beneath said central marker point, the screen, the carriage, and the tube being arranged in superimposed and fixed relation and operable as a unit, a vertically adjustable skin marker connected with said screen, a scale for measuring the degree of adjustment of said skin marker to determine the distance between the screen and the body of the patient, and a scale adapted to measure the longitudinal movement between points of alignment between the target, the foreign object, and the longitudinally spacedmarker 1 points. on said screen to determine distance between the screen and said foreign object.

'5. A method for localizing a foreign object imbedded Within a body penetrable to X-rays by a source of X-radiation upon a fixed point on a "screen, moving the source of X-radiation and screen as a unit in a straight line in the plane of said screen and casting a second shadow of said object bysaid source of ,X-radiation upon another fixed point onsaid screen at a predeterminedv distance from said first-named point, and measuringthe extent of movement of said screen and source of X-radiation and subtracting the distance from the screen to the surface' of the body above said foreign object to determine the depth of the object beneath the upper surface of the body.

6. An apparatus for determining the location of foreign bodies by means of X-rays, comprising a track, means supporting said track, a projecting assembly including, a screen having aligned cross-marks spaced at predetermined distances thereon, a carriage mounted upon said track,

and a source of X-ray emanation arranged in superimposed and fixed relation and operable as a unit, and a measuring device in connection with said carriage and said track adapted to indicate the movementof said carriage thereon be-' tween shadow projections of said foreign bodies upon the cross-marks on said screen.

"7. An apparatus for determining the location of foreign bodies by means of X-rays, comprising a track, means supporting said track, a projecting assembly including a screen having aligned cross-marks spaced. at predetermined distances thereon, a carriage mounted upon said track,

carriage longitudinally movable with respect to said base, a frame laterally movable on saidcarriage, means in connection with said frame for supporting a screen provided with a central and longitudinally spaced markerpoints, above said body, and an X-ray'tube belowsaid body, with the target of said tube beneath 'said central marker point,the screen, the carriage and the tube being arranged in superimposed and fixed 

